Saguaro Cup
Scott Baker
The sun was shining, and a light breeze swept across the putting green at The Highlands at Dove Mountain as two top-tier putting squads met head-to-head for the annual Saguaro Cup Putting Tournament. In a competitive and spirited showdown, The Highlands at Dove Mountain Men’s Putters emerged victorious over the visiting SaddleBrooke Men’s Putters, successfully defending their title and retaining the coveted Saguaro Cup.
The teams battled under perfect desert skies, but it was The Highlands’ combination of consistent gross scores and a strong net performance that secured the win. The Highland’s Gross Team posted a solid total of 145, led by Steve Morrison’s impressive 35, while SaddleBrooke’s Gross Team followed close behind with a total of 149, paced by Nicholas Mares’ steady 35.
In the net division, The Highlands once again edged out their opponents. A composed effort led by Doug Chorlton’s 35 gave the hosts a net team total of 149, while SaddleBrooke struggled to find their rhythm, finishing with 168.
The final overall score stood at 286 for The Highlands and 305 for SaddleBrooke, sealing the Highlands’ victory and keeping the Saguaro Cup safely at home.
“It was a great day for golf,” said Highlands team captain Karl Piepho. “Both teams put up a good fight, but our guys stayed steady and delivered when it counted.”
The friendly rivalry continues to grow between these two putting clubs, and if this year’s semi-annual tournament is any indication, fans can expect more excitement in future matchups.
The SaddleBrooke Men’s Putters invites all men to practice your putting once a week during a congenial competition with other men. We putt every Thursday morning (10 a.m. winter, 9 a.m. summer) on the main SaddleBrooke putting green. We putt 18 holes with par 36 and use handicaps to even out the random teams competing for prizes ($3, $2, $1) and have individual gross and net prizes ($5, $3, $1). Pay $1 to putt each week with a $20 membership fee. Try it by putting as a guest for free. Just show up Thursday morning about 20 minutes early.